If you’re considering expanding your class offerings, sports performance programs are a great option for both athletes and facilities, and are a relatively simple way to expand beyond the sports-specific classes that most sports facilities offer.

The term “sports performance program,” as used in this post, refers to fitness-focused programming for athletes that prepares them to physically perform the tasks required in sports by improving overall speed, strength, agility and confidence, rather than teaching sports-specific skills and technique (such as how to swing a bat or shoot a basketball).

Sports performance programming helps athletes:

Enhance confidence. Confidence is important, particularly for younger athletes. Sports performance classes are non-competitive and are a great starting point for kids to learn that they can improve and excel as they get in better physical condition.

Improve overall technique. Sports-specific classes don’t always teach fundamental skills such as proper running and deceleration technique. These techniques often form the foundation of athleticism, and focusing on them can lead to marked improvements.

Reduce burnout. It’s becoming increasingly common for athletes to play the same sport for most of the year, but athletes get tired of the same sport day after day. Switching regular practices with general fitness is a great way to vary the routine while working toward a goal.

Prevent injury. Repetitive sports-specific movements can cause strain, especially when athletes are working on the same sport for most of the year. Increasing general strength and learning proper change of direction and deceleration help prevent strain and possible injury.

Gain revenue throughout the year. Sports performance is not season-specific, like most sports-specific programming is. Athletes can work to keep in shape all year long.

Cross promote other programming. The same client base that is interested in sports specific programming will also be interested in general speed, agility and strength that will help them improve in sports, making these new programs easy to cross promote to your current clients.